Obamacare deadline today

Updated: Wednesday, April 9 2014, 12:14 AM CDT

Today is the final day to sign up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare".

The administration says at least six million people have already signed up.Most Americans who are *not* covered either by private insurance or an ACA account face a tax penalty if they miss today's deadline.

The deadline is here!Americans have until midnight tonight to sign up for health insurance or face a financial penalty.

Administration officials fanned out across the country and the airwaves to make one final push"Get in the queue now - there's still time today."

White House officials are expecting a last-minute surge today - and that healthcare.gov would be able to handle it.

But this morning - this error message greeted people trying to get on to the site. Administration officials said that was due to regularly-scheduled maintenance.

But that wasn't the only problem - that countdown clock? The numbers were off.This deadline is a major moment for the Obama administration political milestone for a key issue heading into November's midterm elections.

Last week, the White House announced that through March 27, more than six million Americans signed up for health care through federal and state marketplaces short of the administration's goal of 7 million.

But officials can't say how many of those who signed up were previously uninsured or how many actually completed the process and paid their premiums.And it's unclear how many are healthy, or come into the system with pre- existing medical issuesToday may be the deadline but for those who are in line today - by phone, online or in person, they will have a grace period to finish their enrollment.

Republicans threw up their hands at what they said was yet another delay...

"What the hell is this, a joke?""It's basically become the legal equivalent of Swiss cheese.

Enrollment for healthcare exchanges as part of healthcare reform begins October 1 in states where exchanges will be set up. Expect special reports each week from us about what you need to know about 'Obamacare' and the ongoing political fight about its future.